Baltimore County Now

Thank goodness, most Baltimore County residents were able to avoid the worst of Hurricane Sandy. Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors in New Jersey and New York City. Low-level flooding here is already subsiding with limited damage to our waterfront areas, power is being restored and our tree and debris removal operations will be completed in days, not months.

A slight shift in the storm’s path and it all could have been much different here. It can be tempting to think that the warnings and messages to be prepared were overkill and media-hype. We only have to look at the entire communities the storm leveled in New York and New Jersey, the ravaged coastlines, flooded homes and roads, and devastated infrastructure to see what came so close.

This storm is just one more reminder that preparing for the worst, well before a storm, is the smart thing to do. This storm has passed. But now is the time to prepare for winter snow and ice storms. Just ask folks in Western Maryland about early blizzards.

Prepare a family and think ahead to protect vulnerable family members – including pets. Think about what you and your family need if you lose power and can’t get out of your home for three days. Stock up with non-perishable food now. Always keep some extra toilet paper, flashlight batteries and bottled water on hand.

If you’re already ahead of the game and have leftovers from Hurricane Sandy, congratulations. That drawer full of batteries and those extra cases of water will be there for the next storm. And you can always use the can of tuna and non-refrigerated milk in a casserole!

The best way to stay informed during an emergency is to get updates directly from the Baltimore County Office of Emergency Management. Follow BACOemergency on Twitter.Sign up at www.twitter.com/BACOemergency. You can also get emergency information by following the. So please be prepared for the next storm. Click on the link now and sign up for emergency updates. Won’t you please do it now, while you’re thinking about the storm we just dodged?